The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-05-19
WASHINGTON LETTER
From Our Regular Correspondent
WAsH1NeToN, D. c.,
MAY 16. 1887.

WASHINGTON, D.
MAY 16, 1887,
The reunion of the Army of the
Cumberland, the American Surgi-
cal Association, and the annual
convention Of Hotel rPraprietors
are the most important gatherings
of the week in this popular rendez-
vous of all kinds Of National in
terests. %
1t was the eighth annual con-
vention Of "mine hosts" of the
American travelling public, and the
primary objectsof their meetings is
to give the proprietors,, managers
and clerks of hotels a chance to
talk over matters of mutual inter
est. They all want to know (you
know the best manner of getting
rid of dead beats, and about all
kinds of fire escapes. and such
things. In addition to this inter-
change of experience, information
and ideas, a mutual benefit insur-
ance association is carried on, and
during the seven years. of its exist
ence has paid out to it's beneficial
ries the sum of $77,371.
It is seldom that SO many cpl
cures meet around one table as
banqueted together in the large
dining saloon Of Wizards Hotel
on Wednesday night. The ban
quet was given to- the visiting Bon:
faces by the local hotel proprie-
tors, and such a feastit was ais fill
ed the guests with enthusiasm and
prompted them to give the palm to
Washington for entertainment.-
Nearly two hundred proprietors
and managers, representing the
leading cities and the leading ho-
tells in the United States, and a
few specially invited. guests COM
posed the company. The tables
and room were profusely decorat-
ed with cut flowers and ported
plants, and here and there stood
immense specimens Of The corfec-
toners art in fanciful and appro-
pirate designs. The menu was
very choice, and the company was
a jovial one, hardly needing the
inspiration of the band, which dis
coursed popular music from an
adjoining room. -sss &c :
1t was nearly eleven O'Clock be-
fore feasting gave waY,fo orsatory.
1.-THE President of the United
States" was the first toast propos-
Ted by Toastmaster Garrison, the
ex-president of the assoclation.-
To this, General Black, the Com
missioner of Pensions, responded
in an eloquent strain twenty min
utes long. He never once men
toned the name of any particular
President, but he painted a graphic
picture, easily recognizable, of Lin
coin as he remembered him away
back in 1850, when, as a lawyer,
he used occasionally.to visit the
little frontier village in Eastern IL
linois, which was General Blacks
home. He painted Lincoln in his
rustic simplicity and his homespun
suit as an instance that Presidents
do not always spring from the aris-
torcracy, and then, enlarging upon
the power and greatness. of the
Presidential Office andalprononn-
cling the President of the United
States the foremost man in the
world, he reused the company to
enthusiastic applause.
Yesterday the visitors were taken
on a drive to the Soldiers Home,
at noon they had an interview with
the President at the White House.
in the evening they were taken to
the theatres, and to-day they are
having a round of the public build
ings.
The chief event of the reunion
here of the Army of the Cumber-
land was the unwilling Of the statue
of Garfield, which took place to-
day amid imposing ceremonies
There was an immense -concourse
of people at the unwilling, and the
President and Mrs. Cleveland oc-
cupied seats on the Grand stand,
while MI. Kiefer, who once.fgured
here as Speaker of the Houseyou re-
member, and who for some inscrr-
tablereason was chosen orator ofthe
day, was there to perfornshis part.
General Sheridan, the president of
the society of the Army of the
Cumberland, rode in a carriage in
the parade with Generals Sherman,
Buell. and Rosecranz, the three sur
viving of the five commanders who
succeeded one another at the head
of the Army of the Cumberland.
Among the busy preparations for
the Drill is the pyrorama which.
will be exhibited each night, and
which will represent the naval bat
ties in Hampton roads between the
Merrimac and Monitor. Unlike a
panorama, the wal vessels in this
case are real, are seen moving about
and real guns are fired, depicting
the shock and fire of battle vivid
ly. The illusionis such that the
spectator seems to be standing on
the shore of Hampton Roads. In
the distance can be seer Fortress
Monroe and a number of vessels of
the federal fleet anchored near by.
The drama opens by the appear
ance of the Cumberland, which
sails in under full sail and lacking
around drops anchor. The Merri-
mac then appears and the work of
destruction begins, ending with the
battle between the Merrimac and
Monitor, and the final burning of